Late Cardio-Pulmonary Sequelae after Treatment of Hodgkin’s Disease (HD)

Document Type : Original Article

Abstract

 HODGKIN’S disease patients regularly attending the paediatric oncology clinic of National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cairo University were studied to identify the late effects of radio- chemotherapy on the pulmonary and cardiovascular system in long-term survivors (LTS). A group of 42 LTS were studied, together with 26 newly-diagnosed (ND) HD patients and 28 healthy controls, during a 3 years period. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure-mean difference from the 90th percentile of age and sex-matched groups were higher in LTS and ND patients (P< 0.051 and P< 0.003, respectively). Systolic hypertension occurred in 9.5% of the LTS patients. Serum triglycerides (TG) were significantly elevated in LTS & ND patients (p0.001). Anaemia was significantly higher in ND patients. Pulmonary infiltrations were detected in 4.8% of LTS, and 2.3% had plural thickening. One patient only (2.38%) of the LTS had constrictive pericarditis. Finally, the study documented that systolic hypertension, and a cardio-pulmonary complication was one of the long-term sequelae of radio-chemotherapy in HD patients. Recommendations regarding the follow-up of therapy for HD were discussed. New strategies and evidence-based surveillance of the long-term effects will be needed for dealing with HD, especially in children.

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